The tour acquaints the visitor with the state rooms of the Winter Palace and the world famous masterpieces of the State Hermitage Museum.
The tour starts at the foot of the Main Staircase of the Winter Palace. After the devastating fire of 1837, which destroyed all the palace interiors designed by F.B. Rastrelli in 1754-1762, the Baroque-style ceremonial staircase was recreated by the architect V.P.Stasov. You will acquaint yourself with the state rooms of the official residence of the Russian emperors including the Fieldmarshals’ Hall, the Memorial Hall of Peter the Great (the Small Throne Room), the Armorial Hall, the 1812 War Gallery and the St George Hall (the Large Throne Hall) decorated by 19th-century architects. Walking past the Hanging Garden through one of the two galleries of the Small Hermitage (Yu.M.Felten, Jean Baptist de la Mothe , 1764-1775), you will find yourself with the beautifully decorated Pavilion Hall, where the celebrated Peacock Clock is displayed (the work of James Cox, the mid-18th century, Great Britain). The Old (Large) Hermitage (Yu.M.Felten, 1771-1787) houses the collection of the Italian Renaissance art. On display are the paintings by Giorgione, Titian and Leonardo da Vinci. The exhibition in the rooms of the New Hermitage building (designed by Leo von Klenze in 1752), which houses the imperial museum, will allow you to continue your acquaintance with the Italian art collection containing the paintings by Raphael, Michelangelo and Caravaggio. One of the Skylight Rooms is devoted to Spanish painting. The Hermitage also possesses a superb collection of the Dutch artists of the 17th century (the Tent Hall), the pride of which are the works by Rembrandt. After that you will proceed to the Gallery of the History of Ancient Painting and the upper landing of the Main Staircase in the New Hermitage. You will draw your attention to the collection of European sculpture and the excellent examples of vases by Russian stone-carvers. After going downstairs to the ground floor, you will find yourself in the vestibule, where through the window you will see the celebrated portico with atlantes. The exhibits in the rooms showcasing the art objects of Classical Antiquity include the statue of the Taurida Venus, the sculptural bust of Emperor Philip the Arab from the marvellous collection of Roman sculptural portraits, as well as the largest museum sculpture - the image of enthroned Jupiter. The tour ends in the room featuring the art of Ancient Egypt, which never fails to impress museum visitors. We wish you an enjoyable visit to the Hermitage!
